Paris: San Diego's bowl games are a hit

UCLA head coach Jim Mora, right, watches the clock wind down during the fourth quarter playing against Stanford in their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif. Stanford won 35-17. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
— AP

UCLA head coach Jim Mora, right, watches the clock wind down during the fourth quarter playing against Stanford in their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif. Stanford won 35-17. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
/ AP

SAN DIEGO – It's a doubleheader to die for and after watching the Chargers' death march, doesn't a double-dip sound good?

But this one isn't baseball related. We'll cut to the chase with the Padres later, although if pitcher Andrew Cashner is near a blade, he might knife ahead.

This two-for-one slice comes with a football, and no wonder Bruce Binkowski is wearing a wide grin.

San Diego's college bowl guru's eyes twinkle when reciting this month's games at Qualcomm Stadium: San Diego State-Brigham Young in the Poinsettia Bowl; UCLA-Baylor in the Holiday Bowl.

Can you say “home run” in a sport where the ball has two points?

Sure, and Binkowski's message is clear.

“I think we far exceeded what we were going to get in both games,'' he said.

How true and how lucky for San Diego County's college football followers. While these offerings deliver a scent of success, a peek at other bowl pairings reveals some stinkers.

Not much meat to the Beef 'O' Brady Bowl with Ball State-Central Florida. And, hard to believe, tickets remain for the Central Michigan-Western Kentucky epic at the Little Caesars Bowl.

Instead of burning the roof of your mouth, the Poinsettia and Holiday bowls roll of one's tongue. No wonder Binkowski is licking his chops.

“San Diego State against BYU, we always wanted that match up,'' Binkowski said, and boy, don't the local BYU haters agree.

“And to have a UCLA team that had a great season, and Baylor, winners of four of its last five, is an offensive powerhouse. Both UCLA and Baylor put a lot of points on the board.''

It's two marquees filled with four teams which should direct plenty of bodies toward Mission Valley. But be careful fans: some stadium seats haven't been used much, and why are we talking Chargers again?

“I think we are the envy of a lot of bowl games,'' Binkowski said. “We've got two of the better match ups in the entire bowl schedule.''

It almost wasn't so, and when does anything go as planned in college football? Binkowski wasn't hanging with Baylor, until it did a Texas two-step to the front of the Holiday Bowl line.

Binkowski got Waco's team when the BCS presented some whacko numbers. With the final standings formulated, Mid-American champion Northern Illinois trumped the Big 12's Oklahoma, edging the Sooners for the Orange Bowl invitation.

Binkowski quickly rustled through his drawer for additional RSVPs, including a school he speculated was booked.

“We thought Oklahoma was going to the Orange Bowl so we figured Baylor would go somewhere else,'' Binkowski said. “We weren't even thinking about Baylor, then all of a sudden when Northern Illinois jumped up the whole lineup changed. Baylor was sitting there for us and we said 'wow.'''

With Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and TCU off the board, Binkowski scrambled with a winning audible.

Baylor no longer has quarterback Robert Griffin III, but it still produces video-game numbers. The Bears' offense seldom slumbers, collecting at least 500 yards in 10 games this season and scoring 30-plus points in 17 of its last 19 outings.

Baylor caught UCLA coach Jim Mora's attention last December, when it faced his alma mater, Washington, in the Alamo Bowl. Once the dust settled, the Bears had a memorable 67-56 victory.

“That was the first time I saw Baylor play in a long time,'' Mora said, still amazed by the basketball-like score. “They dragged the (Huskies) up and down the field.''

Folksy Baylor coach Art Briles agreed -- kind of.

“We got drugged, too,'' he said, of keeping pace with Washington.

So the teams are the set. The stage is set. And it's ready-set-go for what should be a compelling week of San Diego bowl games.

“We are really excited,'' Binkowski added, and he could have said it twice.